Wearable container with costume features

ABSTRACT

A container has a storage compartment and an opening into the storage compartment. The container further has left and right shoulder straps for a person to wear the container in an upright position at the person&#39;s back with the opening unobstructed by the shoulder straps. A cape is attached to the container, and is movable from a stowed position within the container to a deployed position reaching downward from the container. A head covering also is attached to the container. The head covering is movable from a stowed position within the container to a deployed position reaching upward from the container onto the user&#39;s head. The opening is located between the cape and the head covering, and is unobstructed by the cape and the head covering to provide access into the storage compartment downward between the cape and the head covering, when the container is worn in the upright position with the cape and the head covering in the deployed positions.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a container that is worn on the back, and further relates to a costume worn simultaneously with the container.

BACKGROUND

A child or young adult wearing a Halloween costume might also wear a backpack or other container for holding trick-or-treat candy. However, when wearing both the container and the costume, the container may interfere with the configuration of the costume, and the costume may block convenient access into the container.

SUMMARY

A container has a storage compartment and an opening into the storage compartment. The container further has left and right shoulder straps for a user to wear the container in an upright position at the user's back, with the opening unobstructed by the shoulder straps. A cape is attached to the container, and is movable from a stowed position within the container to a deployed position reaching downward from the container. A head covering also is attached to the container. The head covering is movable from a stowed position within the container to a deployed position reaching upward from the container onto the user's head. The opening is located between the cape and the head covering, and is unobstructed by the cape and the head covering to provide access into the storage compartment downward between the cape and the head covering, when the container is worn in the upright position with the cape and the head covering in the deployed positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus including a container with shoulder straps.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the container in a closed condition.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a person wearing the apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of parts of the container.

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of other parts of the container.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, showing parts of the apparatus in deployed positions.

FIG. 10 is a top view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The apparatus shown in the drawings has parts that are examples of the elements recited in the claims. The illustrated apparatus thus includes examples of how a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and use the claimed invention. It is described here to meet the enablement and best mode requirements of the patent statute without imposing limitations that are not recited in the claims.

As shown in FIG. 1, a container 10 is constructed as a generally rectangular sling bag. The container 10 has upper and lower ends 12 and 14, an outer front side 16 (FIG. 1), and an outer rear side 18 (FIG. 2). In this example, a first woven fabric panel 20 defines the outer front side 16. A second woven fabric panel 22 defines the outer rear side 18. All or part of the container 10, and especially the outer front side 16 of the first panel 20, may have decorative colors, graphics, and/or other indicia suitable for a Halloween costume, superhero costume, or other fanciful costume.

The panels 20 and 22 are joined together by a stitched seam across the lower end 14 of the container 10, and further by stitched seams along left and right vertical edges 30 and 32 of the container 10. This provides the container 10 with a storage compartment 35 between the panels 20 and 22. The storage compartment 35 has a generally rectangular shape reaching fully across the inside of the container 10 between the vertical edges 30 and 32, and fully downward through the container 10 from the upper end 12 to the lower end 14.

A pair of drawstring sleeves 40 and 42 are joined to the panels 20 and 22 by stitched seams. The drawstring sleeves 40 and 42 together define the upper end 12 of the container 10, and reach lengthwise along opposite sides of an opening 49 (FIGS. 3 and 4) into the storage compartment 35 at the upper end 12.

A left drawstring 60 reaches upward from the lower end of the left vertical edge 30. The left drawstring 60 reaches further through the two sleeves 40 and 42 in a loop around the opening 49, and back down to the lower end of the left vertical edge 30. A right drawstring 62 reaches upward from the lower end of the right vertical edge 32, through the two sleeves 40 and 42 in a loop extending oppositely around the opening 49, and back down to the lower end of the right vertical edge 32. When the two drawstrings 60 and 62 are pulled away from each other near the top 12 of the container 10, their oppositely extending loops close the opening 49 by constricting the container 10 at the periphery of the opening 49, as shown in FIG. 5.

In addition to closing the opening 49, the drawstrings 60 and 62 also serve as shoulder straps for a person to wear the container 10 as a backpack. As shown in FIG. 6, the drawstrings/shoulder straps 60 and 62 enable a person to wear the container 10 in an upright position with the outer rear side 18 of the container 10 at the person's back. Importantly, the drawstring/shoulder straps 60 and 62 project from opposite ends of the opening 49 toward the person's shoulders, but do not reach across the opening 49, when the container 10 is worn in the upright position. This ensures that the opening 49 is unobstructed by the drawstrings/shoulder straps 60 and 62 when the container 10 is worn in that position.

As further shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 10 has a first pocket 80 (FIG. 1) and a second pocket 82 (FIG. 2). As shown in greater detail in FIG. 7, the first pocket 80 is defined by a first inner bag 90 within the storage compartment 35. The first inner bag 90 has an opening 93 at the outer front side 16 of the container 10, and is attached to the first panel 20 by stitched seams 94 and 96. The stitched seams 94 and 96 also attach a closure means in the form a zipper 98.

A cape 100 is stowed in the first pocket 80 as shown in FIG. 7. The stitched seam 94 at the top of the first pocket 80 is a permanent attachment that anchors the cape 100 to the container 10. Like the outer front side 16 of the container 10, the cape 100 may have graphic or other decorative features.

As shown in greater detail in FIG. 8, the second pocket 82 is defined by a second inner bag 110 within the storage compartment 35. The second inner bag 110 has an opening 113 at the outer rear side 18 of the container 10, and is attached to the second panel 22 by stitched seams 114 and 116. The stitched seam 114 at the top of the second pocket 82 also attaches a closure means in the form of a flap 118 for use with releasable hook and loop fasteners 120.

A head covering, which is the illustrated example is a hood 130, is stowed in the second pocket 82 as shown in FIG. 8. The stitched seam 116 opposite the closure flap 118 is a permanent attachment that anchors the hood 130 to the container 10.

The cape 100 and the hood 130 are movable from their stowed positions to deployed positions reaching outward from the pockets 80 and 82, as shown for example in FIG. 9. The cape 100, which in the illustrated embodiment is a sleeveless Halloween costume cape, has a deployed position reaching downward from the container 10 behind the person wearing the container 10. The deployed cape 100 is then located entirely on one side of the opening 49 into the storage compartment 35. The hood 130, which may have Halloween costume features including devil horns, has a deployed position reaching upward from the container 10 onto the person's head. The deployed hood 130 is then located entirely on the opposite side of the opening 49. Accordingly, when the drawstrings/shoulder straps 60 and 62 are worn to support the container 10 at the person's back in the upright position with the cape 100 and hood 130 deployed as shown in FIG. 9, the opening 49 is located between, and is unobstructed by, the cape 100 and the hood 130 as shown in FIG. 10. The opening 49 thereby provides convenient access for inserting Halloween treats or other items into the storage compartment 35 downward between the cape 100 and the hood 130 without the need to move either the cape 100 or the hood 130 out of the way.

This written description sets forth the best mode of carrying out the invention, and describes the invention to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, by presenting examples of elements recited in the claims. The patentable scope of the invention is described by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples, which may be available either before or after the application filing date, are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they have equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims. 

1. An apparatus comprising: a container defining a storage compartment and an opening into the storage compartment; left and right shoulder straps for a person to wear the container in an upright position at the person's back with the opening unobstructed by the shoulder straps; a cape attached to the container, the cape being movable from a stowed position within the container to a deployed position reaching downward from the container; and a head covering attached to the container, the head covering being movable between a stowed position within the container and a deployed position reaching upward from the container onto the person's head; wherein the cape and the head covering are located on opposite sides of the opening, and the opening is unobstructed by the cape and the head covering to provide access into the storage compartment downward between the cape and the head covering, when the container is worn in the upright position with the cape and the head covering in the deployed positions.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the container has an outer front side, an outer rear side, and an upper end between the outer front side and the outer rear side, and the opening is located at the upper end.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the container has a lower end and the storage compartment reaches downward from the upper end to the lower end.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the container has an outer front side, a first pocket with an opening at the outer front side, an outer rear side, and a second pocket with an opening at the outer rear side; the cape and head covering are contained within the first and second pockets, respectively, when in their stowed positions; and the opening into the storage compartment is located between the first and second pocket openings.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the first pocket is defined by a first inner container within the storage compartment.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the second rear pocket is defined by a second inner container within the storage compartment.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the head covering is a hood.
 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the cape is sleeveless.
 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the container is a bag.
 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the shoulder straps comprise drawstrings for closing the opening by constricting the bag at the periphery of the opening.
 11. An apparatus comprising: a bag defining a storage compartment and having an upper end with a top opening into the storage compartment; left and right shoulder straps for a person to wear the bag in an upright position at the person's back with the top opening unobstructed by the shoulder straps; a first pocket on the bag at a location spaced from the top opening; a cape that is anchored within the first pocket and movable from a stowed position within the first pocket to a deployed position reaching downward from the first pocket; a second pocket on the bag at a location spaced from the top opening and the first pocket; and a head covering that is anchored within the second pocket and movable from a stowed position within the second pocket to a deployed position reaching upward from the second pocket onto the person's head; wherein the top opening is located between the cape and the head covering, and is unobstructed by the cape and the head covering to provide access into the storage compartment downward between the cape and the head covering, when the bag is worn in the upright position with the cape and the head covering in the deployed positions.
 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the bag has a lower end and the storage compartment reaches downward from the upper end to the lower end.
 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the bag has an outer front side and an outer rear side, the first pocket has an opening at the outer front side of the bag, and the second pocket has an opening at the outer rear side of the bag.
 14. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the first pocket is defined by a first inner bag within the storage compartment, and the second pocket is defined by a second inner bag within the storage compartment.
 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the head covering is a hood.
 16. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the cape is sleeveless.
 17. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the shoulder straps comprise drawstrings for closing the top opening by constricting the bag at the periphery of the top opening.
 18. An apparatus comprising: a bag defining a storage compartment and having an outer front side, an outer rear side, and an upper end with a top opening into the storage compartment; left and right shoulder straps for a person to wear the bag in an upright position in which the outer rear side faces the person's back and the top opening is unobstructed by the shoulder straps, the shoulder straps comprising drawstrings for closing the top opening by constricting the bag at the periphery of the top opening; a first pocket defined by a front inner bag within the storage compartment, the first pocket having an opening at the outer front side of the bag; a cape that is anchored within the first pocket and movable from a stowed position contained within the first pocket to a deployed position reaching downward from the front outer side of the bag; a second pocket defined by a rear inner bag within the storage compartment, the second pocket having an opening at the rear outer side of the bag; and a head covering that is anchored within the second pocket and movable from a stowed position contained within the second pocket to a deployed position reaching upward from the outer front side of the bag onto the person's head; wherein the top opening is located between the cape and the head covering, and is unobstructed by the cape and the head covering to provide access into the storage compartment downward between the cape and the head covering, when the bag is worn in the upright position with the cape and the head covering in the deployed positions.
 19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the bag has a lower end and the storage compartment reaches downward from the upper end to the lower end.
 20. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the head covering is a hood.
 21. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the cape is sleeveless.
 22. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the cape is permanently attached to the front inner bag and the head covering is permanently attached to the rear inner bag.
 23. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the bag is generally rectangular with a bottom edge and left and right vertical edges, and is formed by first and second woven fabric panels attached together by stitched seams along the edges.
 24. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the first and second pockets are located on opposite sides of the top opening. 